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TESCO IRELAND TODAY confirmed changes to its home delivery services which will help the company to provide more delivery slots to over 65s and customers most in need during Covid-19 pandemic.
The firm said that the changes have already resulted in over 2,000 more deliveries for over 65 customers becoming available in the coming weeks.
From Monday, changes to the service will result in:
The grocery chain said it had hired a significant number of people since the outbreak of the disease. It said that an additional 2,000 customer orders are delivered by 500 drivers using 120 vans.
Geoff Byrne, Tesco’s Chief Operating Officers, said: “We’ve seen unprecedented levels of demand for grocery shopping services. We’re doing everything we can to increase the number of delivery slots available to customers who are over 65 and those who need the service most.
“These new measures and those instigated to date including our ‘think before you click’ campaign are working. We’d like to thank our regular home shopping customers for their patience as we do all we can to make this service available to as many people who need it as possible.”
The average household spent an additional €122 on groceries during the four weeks to 22 March, largely driven by shoppers making bigger trips.
It is estimated that 27% of Irish households made a shopping trip containing €120 or more worth of groceries – compared to 15% of household last year.
According to grocery analysts Kantar, sales of hand soap rose by 300% and household cleaners were up by 170% in the four weeks to 22 March. Facial tissues and toilet paper were also in demand, with sales up by 140% and 86% respectively.
Dunnes Stores retained its position as Ireland’s most popular supermarket but Lidl was the fastest-growing of all big retailers during the 12 weeks.
Dunnes, SuperValu and Tesco each saw sales increase by just over 10%. All three grocers hold almost equal market share, Dunnes’ takes the largest portion at 22.3%, with SuperValu and Tesco following closely at 21.3%.
Lidl’s sales went up by 14.7% and its market share increased to 12.3%. Aldi matched Lidl’s market share and grew sales by 11.9%.
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Kudos to Tesco .
@Jimmy Murray: Fair play to them alright but if 65 is elderly, what does that make of the requirement to work beyond those years. You’re elderly but you’re young enough to work and pay tax.
@John Jones: over 65s have worse outcome from Coronavirus.
I use the Tesco delivery saver service all the time, I find it great, but am glad to see Tesco prioritising the elderly and vulnerable with the delivery slots. Fair play Tesco.
@Richard Carroll: I got the email from Tesco earlier today. They are prioritising delivery slots for the elderly not all groups in the vulnerable group. They only have details of people’s age and they do no know if someone has cormobilities. So this is only for the over 65s. Still good news for the elderly though.
@Richard Carroll: They aren’t able to identify those of us who are vulnerable though so I’m not sure how that will work. I’m dependent on their deliveries at the moment and am really worried as the only other option is taking the bus to the store which I’m really supposed to be avoiding. Delighted that the elderly are being prioritised though. About time.
@FrustratedASDMum: there are lots of organisations helping with shopping. Ring your local Garda station who’ll be able to put you in touch with volunteer groups in your area.
They’re prioritising the over 65s & the vulnerable. But how do they know the age or status of the person doing the order? I’ve got to cocoon, not due to age but due to having an auto-immune disease. I have a delivery saver account with Tesco as I always did my shopping online with them before this ever happened. I’ve been trying for 2 weeks now to get a delivery slot to no avail. I finally managed today to get a slot for Tuesday 28th April! This is ridiculous. Luckily I have one person who has picked up groceries for me to keep me going.
@Clare McNamara: you have to register by ringing if you are over 65 as they normally get free deliveries
@Clare McNamara: I’m in the same boat but have nobody to help me out and a trip to the supermarket means using the bus which puts me at further risk. I’ve tried contacting them but nobody’s answering their customer care line.
@Clare McNamara: without giving too many trade secrets away you should ring your local shops offering onlines explain the situation & they should be able to do your online ahead of the slot time you’ve booked. Provided they’re not being ran off their feet.
@FrustratedASDMum: have you friends or family
@FrustratedASDMum: or have you tried contacting your local store , im sure they could pass you onto the relevant people
@Robert: Thanks Robert. No, my family live too far away and nobody else to help out. I’ve a child with special needs and we’re very isolated unfortunately.
@FrustratedASDMum: I don’t know if it’s any good to you but I live in Wicklow if I can be if any help ???
@Gwen Denny: Thank you so much Gwen, that is so nice of you! Unfortunately I don’t live in Wicklow but your offer just made my day! Thank you so much again x
@FrustratedASDMum: Contact your local GAA club or SuperValu; they are working together to help get groceries to people who need a little help. It’ll be OK.
@FrustratedASDMum: not at all. Sorry I can’t be of help . Please look on Facebook for somewhere local to you that can help you out . Stay safe
@FrustratedASDMum: same here, I registered for my mother but can’t get an answer on the customer care line to get her free delivery. Was a 3 week waiting list for a slot
@Clare McNamara: Slots become available for 3 weeks’ time at midnight every day. I normally sign in at this time and do a small order, enough to secure the slot. Then on the day before my order is due to be delivered, I change my order to what I actually need. It’s the only way to ensure I get a delivery. I signed in this morning at 7am to do an order and all slots were gone. I too have an autoimmune disease and have used Tesco’s delivery saver service for the guts of 2 years. They don’t seem to get that, for most of us using the service prior to this, this is the only way we had of getting groceries!
Anyone vulnerable or elderly can contact their local county council who are co-ordinating volunteers to do shopping for them.
In fairness to Tesco they have done and continue to do a great job.
I have also give serious credit to our local Spar shop.
The owner not only took all measures to protect his staff and organised shifts to ensure the staff got plenty of rest breaks he also gave all his staff a 10% pay increase..
I could name lots of shops and sing their praises but the list would go on.
Suffice to say that they will be getting my support and future business.
@Justice Mickey: They have, and thanks to Aldi who are the ones who’s lead Tesco followed. And lidl who went the the living wage of €12.30 an hour last year.
@Bilbo Baggins:
That’s great news and hopefully the consumers remember all this when this ends.
One thing is for sure, there is a certain chain of pubs that I will never darken their doors again.
Half the country out of work… car hire fleets open. Surely it would make sense for Tesco to hire refrigerated vans and delivery drivers who would have been left off during this period on a 3 month contract. Everyone knows that post covid-19 is going to see a massive shift to online shopping anyway. It seems like poor business to be limiting like this
Good, it makes sense
I’m the registered tesco customer on our delivery account, but I have 3 elderly people living with me my mum (72) in a wheelchair from a stroke my dad (77) in a wheelchair from a stroke and my 83 year old uncle who has autism, all 3 of them have been hospitalised from pneumonia this winter past. my husband and 2 kids also live with us also. Plus I do the shopping for my other 80year old uncle who’s had pneumonia twice in the last 12 months. Not sure how I’m meant to feed 8 people (6 adults) for a week with 80 items. I get that they are trying to best for vulnerable people but I’m stressing out worrying over trying to keep these 4 elderly people fed and alive. I’ve emailed and had no response. So anxious about this I’ve enough to worry about!!
@Jacqueline McMahon: im so sorry thats so stressful for you. I wonder could you register your mum as the recipient and therefore get prioritised for delivery? As for the 80 items per order, they’re waiving that for care homes so perhaps you could fit into that category. I hope they help you out xx
I’m another who would like to know how they decide who is vulnerable. I’m on delivery saver years because I’m a carer and getting to the supermarket is difficult at the best of times. I was finding it very hard to get slots recently. When I did, a third of the order was missing with no attempt to substitute. Yesterday I messaged to say I don’t want to pay for a service that I can’t use but wasn’t given the option to cancel it. I suppose now they have to let people on delivery saver cancel their plans.
there is a thousands of taxis out there out of job
why not to use them for delivery and split the charge between consumer and producer !!!
Maybe they should have a better click and collect system. Still three week wait to collect it from the shops.
The main issue Tesco have is they must adhere to the distance rules while doing your online shopping. This means they process less online orders per day as they don’t work throughout the night and must compete for store space with regular customers. Then the drivers must also operate under distance rules so must not go inside and must drop shopping at your door in bags. It all takes more time and takes up more space in the vans which were already doing a good weeks deliveries. New staff require training and new vehicles are an added cost they are unlikely to recoup.
The best solution is ask their drivers who is in greater need of the limited delivery slots. They meet these customers every week and know more than some person in a call centre in the UK.
I couldn’t get a delivery slot for 2.5wks so hope they’re not looking for urgenr delivery !
This should have been the case since day one.
Could not get a delivery slot from Tesco Arklow.
Got great help from Centra Ferrybank Arklow.
Great work by staff in Centra:
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